When Nina Sotom went to Target for a quick shopping trip, she didn’t expect it to turn into a moment that would rattle her—and remind her how powerful it is when strangers step up to protect each other.
What started as an ordinary errand ended with a quietly heroic act by store security that may have saved her from something far more dangerous than a long checkout line.
Security stopped her at the exit—and she feared the worst
Sotom, who shares videos as @ninasotom on TikTok, had just finished browsing for about an hour. She paid, grabbed her receipt, and headed for the door—only to be told she couldn’t leave.
"I remember grabbing my receipt and holding it flat out."
— @ninasotom
She thought maybe she’d been accused of shoplifting. “I remember grabbing my receipt and holding it flat out because I know that little camera up there can read the smallest print,” she said.
But the truth was way more unsettling
After a few tense minutes, another woman—part of the store’s security team—came up to Sotom with a startling explanation. A man had been secretly following her through the store, taking photos without her knowledge.
"I would have thrown him out sooner."
— Target security, via @ninasotom
The security worker apologized for not noticing it sooner and reassured Sotom that the man had been removed from the store. Just to be safe, they even walked her to her car.
“It’s not just me watching out for me”
Sotom was understandably shaken, but deeply thankful. “Even if that man was just being creepy and sending those pictures to a random person, it makes me as a woman feel so secure and so safe to know that other people are watching out for me,” she shared in the video.
"It’s not just me watching out for me."
— @ninasotom
Later in the comments, she mentioned her mom contacted police just to be safe, and officers followed up with the store. Thankfully, nothing further happened—but the situation could’ve been very different without someone paying attention.
Other women shared their own chilling stories
Hundreds of commenters applauded the Target team—and many shared eerily similar stories.
@ceeyoul8rbro wrote, “This happened to me. I am 9 months pregnant and I was shopping alone with my 3 boys. A man was following us around and taking pictures of my kids... then I was told that a man was following me.”
"A man was taking pictures of my kids."
— @ceeyoul8rbro
@angelicarayy added, “They’re the best! When I got my husband the new Xbox. It was wild that they had two guys escort me to my car because people would wait outside to snatch it.”
@karlacelis_ said, “I didn’t even imagine this is where your story would go. This is so scary, glad you’re safe.” And @susiixx commented, “Wow that’s awesome. I was not expecting that outcome! So glad to hear she was just trying to take care of you!”
Small actions make a big difference
These stories are more common than many realize—and they highlight how vulnerable people can feel in everyday spaces. But they also show how powerful it is when people step up and pay attention.
Women shouldn’t have to rely on good luck or a kind stranger to feel safe. But in moments like these, the quiet actions of someone just doing their job can make all the difference.
If you want to support efforts to make public spaces safer for everyone, consider donating to groups like RAINN or Stop Street Harassment. Everyone deserves to shop, walk, or simply exist without fear.
Of the very few signatures in his yearbook, one was his own. Facebook/
When an act of pettiness left one boy heartbroken, his older classmates stepped up. Facebook/Cassandra Cooper 
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Representative photo by Super Straho | 
